Ace Bailey Struggling in Rutgers' Recent Stretch

Following a hot start, NBA Draft hopeful Ace Bailey has struggled in his last few games.

Nov 20, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Ace Bailey (4) shoots the ball as Merrimack Warriors forward Sean Trumper (40) defends during the first half at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Rutgers basketball earned its biggest win of the season on Tuesday night behind a 36-point performance from five-star Dylan Harper, who propelled the team past Notre Dame in a Players Era Festival matchup.

On the flip side of the coin was Harper’s co-star Ace Bailey, who saw another down shooting performance despite the overtime win.

Across 36 minutes, Bailey scored 10 points on 4-for-12 shooting, cashing in on his only triple but missing a variety of contested mid-range jumpers. While he wasn't able to cash in on several usual makes, he did provide four rebounds, two steals and one assist.

The performance came just one game after a tough night against Kennesaw State, where he shot 6-for-17 in managing to still finish with 17 points. Against the Owls, he connected on only four of 10 3-point tries — a likely cause of just the one attempt against the Fighting Irish.

As one of the best prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft class, there’s little doubt Bailey will get back on track in the scoring department. But it’s his lack of scoring production mixed with other negatives might start to cause seeds of doubt with some NBA franchises.

Across four full games, Bailey has just two total assists, both of which were pretty simple extra passes to the open man. Perhaps more jarring, the 6-foot-10 forward has just 13 points at the rim, good for just 23% of his total points so far as a Scarlet Knight. And only a measly two of those points came on a self-created dribble-move. These issues, coupled with Bailey’s back-to-back down shooting performances, offer a glimpse into what could push franchises towards other prospects.

Bailey is still just 18, and has ample time to prove his worth to NBA franchises. And even more time to hone his craft once he lands with an organization. He's supremely talented as a shot-maker, and has intagibles that plenty of other prospects simply don't have. There's sure to be organziations that value what he brings to the table, regardless of if his shots are falling.

The Scarlet Knights now look to their best opponent yet in No. 9 Alabama tonight.

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